Yes, I am not a huge fan of watching sports... or playing them... or talking about them. But when it comes to The Olympics, I could easily watch nearly every sport shown. There's something different about The Olympics that makes it become more than just a sports game, they become a worldwide effort of coming together in a peaceful and wonderful way.
When it comes to other more traditional American sports, I honestly could not care less. I don't want to discuss what happened on Monday night football or the rivalry between two baseball teams, I see it as petty and kind of a waste of my time. So many American only sports rivalries seem to incite true and deep hatred that I find to be toxic and unneeded. So many American only sport players don't play the game for the right reasons. But you'll have a hard time finding that trend in The Olympics. These are athletes who have trained their entire lives for this moment, individuals whose pure love of their game has brought them to that moment. It's a beautiful and exhilarating thing to watch.
My absolute favorite parts of the entire two weeks of The Olympics are the opening and closing ceremonies. I find it beautiful how magnificently our entire world comes together in peace. Nowadays, such a peaceful gathering between people of all races, religions, countries and backgrounds is a rare thing to see. And the amazing showcases of that countries cultures and customs always leaves me breathless.
Although every athlete there is obviously competitive and would love nothing more than to win the gold medal, throughout the entire span of the games there is a clear level of sportsmanship. Even if there are some unamused looks or tears at a loss, the rivalries never seem to come off the arena. These athletes are the real deal, and their mature handling of the situation they're in is something I think every child who plays a sport should look up to.
The Olympics are, historically, a time of peace and pride in our world. It brings together not only countries in their own individual patriotism, but entire continents and the planet together. We get to understand more about other countries customs and cultures, learn about some of the famous athletes we otherwise wouldn't have ever known, and share what our own country has to bring to the table. And if you don't find that even slightly beautiful, well at least you'll have those divers to look at.
